Yamen, Where Was Serena Feng Last Night
Ordinary commoners fear officials and the government, and even the boldest only dare to gossip about Shunning Marquis Manor in private—they never utter a word about the Bloodcloak Guard.
In the eyes of ordinary people, the Bloodcloak Guard is like a band of evil spirits. Every time they appear, they frighten countless children. No one dares to say a single bad word about them, for fear that the Bloodcloak Guard might suddenly show up and drag them off to prison.
Commoners will only curse Shunning Marquis Manor and its young lady; as for the Bloodcloak Guard, they won't dare utter a single comment. But it's different for the scions of noble families, Imperial Academy students, and those scholars who have come to the capital for Eastlyn's first civil service exam. They study precisely to become officials and serve the people, so when they hear of such things, of course they have to discuss it.
Especially when it comes to the Bloodcloak Guard's abuse of private torture, everyone debates the definition of 'private torture' and what counts as abuse. The Bloodcloak Guard's reputation is so bad you can hear it in the students' discussions—some are even preparing a joint petition to formally accuse the Bloodcloak Guard.
It's been an hour since the incident, and still not one person has spoken up for the Bloodcloak Guard. As for Shunning Marquis Manor, both commoners and scholars have cursed it into the ground. Those families connected to Shunning through marriage all keep their heads down, not daring to speak, some even considering divorcing their wives to cut ties.
Dawn is just breaking, the officials are still asleep, and they have no idea what's happened in the capital. By the time they find out, it'll be too late.
As officials head to court and the Bloodcloak Guard discovers the scandal sheets, the matter is immediately reported. The Bloodcloak Guard works efficiently—within just one hour, they've collected all the leaflets. But while papers can be gathered up, rumors can't be stopped. The harder the Guard investigates, the more lively the gossip becomes in private.
Just at this moment, news breaks that a maid from Feng Manor has filed a case at the Capital Prefecture Court, accusing Shunning Marquis Manor and the Bloodcloak Guard. Things get even more heated—anyone who hears the news rushes to the Capital Prefecture Court, eager to see this rare 'commoners versus officials' lawsuit and find out who will win.
And this is exactly what Serena Feng wanted—the bigger the commotion, the harder it is for the authorities to operate in the shadows.
The Chief Justice of the Capital Prefecture Court hasn't yet seen the leaflets scattered across the capital, but early in the morning, he is already startled by a lawsuit. There's nothing unusual about a lawsuit—what's strange is its content.